Employee Discipline Attorney in Newark, NJ, Defending Workers Against Illegal Dismissals in Essex County, Mercer County, Passaic County, Union County, Atlantic County, and Throughout the State of New Jersey
Dismissals and disciplinary actions on the job can drastically impact your life. Not only does job loss put workers and their families at financial risk, but being fired can also make it more difficult to land your next role. If you believe that your employer fired you for reasons that are illegal, you have options. The path forward begins with consulting a Newark wrongful termination lawyer.
At Zazzali, P.C., our legal team has more than 200 years of combined experience. A major part of our practice of employment law is seeking redress for employees who have been subjected to discrimination, harassment, or retaliation. Through our dedicated advocacy, we pursue meaningful financial compensation for our clients.
Even if you have a strong suspicion that your employer’s actions violated state or federal employment laws, you need compelling evidence, solid legal arguments, and dedicated advocacy to prove it and hold the company accountable. We’re here to help, with trusted advice about your next move and the capacity to launch a thorough investigation. Contact us today for help holding an employer accountable for wrongful dismissal.
What to Do After Wrongful Termination in New Jersey
If you believe that you have been fired illegally, it’s in your best interests to take swift action and consult a Newark wrongful termination lawyer as soon as possible.
Even from the earliest moments, there are pitfalls that could undermine your case, including waiting too long to begin gathering evidence and sharing details of the event on social media. Bringing on professional guidance right away empowers you to make informed decisions that protect your claim while providing an opportunity for early investigation.
Preserve all information you have regarding your employment and the dismissal or disciplinary action that you suspect may have been wrongful or illegal. The more information you are able to provide during the initial discussion of your case, the better we can tailor our guidance to your unique circumstances.
It often takes considerable investigation to uncover the full extent of an employer’s wrongful conduct. Even if you currently have only suspicions, rather than strong evidence, you should consider speaking with an attorney for advice on your next steps and clarification of your legal rights.
Understanding Wrongful Termination and Discipline in Newark and Throughout New Jersey
Many disciplinary actions in the workplace may seem unfair, but that doesn’t necessarily make them wrongful. It’s important to understand what actually constitutes wrongful termination or disciplinary action and how to establish the facts that support this argument in the context of a claim against your employer.
When Is Discipline or Termination of Employment Illegal in New Jersey?
Disciplinary actions, up to and including termination of employment, are unfortunate realities in modern workplaces. For discipline or dismissal to be wrongful in New Jersey, it must be more than unfair. The decision or procedures must violate the law in some way.
Wrongful disciplinary action or termination claims often result from instances in which the employer’s actions involved one of the following:
- Discrimination: The choice to terminate, demote, or discipline the worker is based on characteristics protected by law, such as race, gender, sexual orientation, age, religion, national origin, or disability.
- Retaliation: The disciplinary action was undertaken in retaliation for a worker reporting some kind of violation or filing a claim or complaint against the company, a superior, or a colleague.
- Public policy violation: Similar to retaliation, these wrongful disciplinary actions occur due to an employee refusing to commit illegal activities in the course of their work or missing work to perform a civic duty, such as complying with a jury duty summons.
- Breach of contract: If an employment contract exists that specifies the circumstances under which the employee can be discharged, termination for reasons not included in this contract may be illegal.
In New Jersey, many jobs are considered “at-will” employment. This means that an employer can legally terminate an employee subject to at-will employment for any reason at any time, even if the employee hasn’t done anything wrong. However, even at-will employment relationships are subject to laws that prohibit employers from engaging in conduct that constitutes discrimination or retaliation.
Types of Wrongful Discipline in NJ Workplaces
Disciplinary action can take many forms in New Jersey workplaces. Our Newark employment law firm investigates and addresses instances of wrongful discipline of all kinds, including:
- Termination, dismissal, discharge, or firing
- Demotion, such as loss of status, responsibilities, or seniority privileges
- Pay cuts, such as direct salary reductions or a reduction of hours
- Denial of opportunities for career advancement
- Refusal to award earned promotions, raises, or bonuses
- Reassignment of work schedules or responsibilities
- Exclusion from meetings, training opportunities, or work-related social events
- Loss of existing accommodations
- Excessive micromanagement
For any of these forms of disciplinary action to constitute wrongful conduct on the part of the employer, you must be able to establish that it occurred for illegal reasons.
To Prove Wrongful Termination, You Need an Experienced Employee Discipline Attorney in Newark, NJ
Disciplinary measures in the workplace may be justified due to an employee’s conduct, failures, or poor work performance. In many cases, proving that termination or other types of disciplinary measures were wrongful requires demonstrating that certain employees were singled out in these organizational actions.
For example, a company may need to freeze pay raises and bonuses for legitimate financial reasons. However, doing so only to employees who belong to certain protected classes or those who have filed claims over safety violations or nonpayment of overtime, rather than the entire organization, may provide grounds for claims of discrimination or retaliation.
The advantage of having a Newark wrongful termination lawyer from Zazzali, P.C. on your side is that you will be able to thoroughly investigate suspected illegal conduct on the part of your employer. On the surface, your employer (or former employer) may give a legitimate excuse for the conduct in question, but that isn’t always the full story. We’re able to gather and analyze all of the facts to determine whether the company is hiding illegal motives, like retaliation or discrimination, behind these excuses.
If we can establish that your company wrongfully terminated or disciplined you, we can pursue compensation to address the losses you sustained as a result.
How Zazzali, P.C. Can Help
While employers in non-unionized workplaces in New Jersey often can fire or otherwise discipline workers for a wide variety of reasons, individual circumstances matter.
Are there grounds to argue that discrimination or retaliation played a part in your employer’s actions? Is there an employment contract, whether you personally negotiated it or it was created through a labor union’s collective bargaining efforts, that the dismissal or other disciplinary action failed to follow? Did your employer deviate from established procedures for disciplining or firing workers?
Our firm is known for providing individual attention to every client we serve. That means we’re fully prepared to dig deep into the facts of the matter, conduct an in-depth investigation, and analyze all the evidence. We look at all relevant laws and regulations, as well as employment agreements between you and your employer. In situations that involve unionized workplaces, we can review whether your labor union offers any protections that you were denied and whether your employer followed the appropriate procedures for discipline or termination.
Why Choose Zazzali, P.C. as Your Newark Wrongful Termination Lawyer?
For a Newark wrongful termination lawyer who is dedicated to pursuing the most favorable outcome possible after an unfair dismissal, you need Zazzali, P.C. on your side. We’re known throughout the state for our commitment to fighting for working people, our extensive knowledge of all areas of employment law, and our considerable experience handling complex legal issues in the workplace.
A Focus on Representing Workers
At Zazzali, P.C., we have a record of supporting individual workers, labor unions, and union members through skilled legal representation. We recognize that discrimination, retaliation, and other forms of illegal employer conduct are all too common in today’s high-pressure workplaces. When workers lose their jobs for reasons that violate state or federal laws or without following established processes, we stand up to the offending employers and hold them accountable.
A Full-Service Employment Law Firm
In matters of wrongful termination and discipline, you need a thorough understanding of many different areas of employment law. As a seasoned employment and labor law firm, we know how to investigate and prove discrimination, harassment, retaliation for reporting violations or filing claims, and other misconduct that contributes to a hostile workplace. With this extensive knowledge, we can help you address all issues involved in a claim against your employer.
Experience Overcoming Challenges in Complex Employment Issues
Wrongful termination cases can involve complex situations and tricky dynamics. No matter how complicated your claim, our legal team has the experience to confront these complexities, get to the bottom of illegal conduct that an employer has attempted to cover up, and make sense of employment issues that significantly affect your life.
Contact a Newark Wrongful Termination Lawyer at Zazzali, P.C. to Schedule Your Initial Consultation Today
Job loss can be a sensitive subject, which is why our team is committed to treating every client with compassion, dignity, and personal attention. We understand the consequences that unlawful termination can have on workers and provide helpful, responsive communication so that our legal guidance gives you peace of mind rather than adding to your stress.
For help from an employee discipline attorney in Newark, NJ, contact Zazzali, P.C. online or call 973-354-5289 today.